New Challenges

We survived our trip Up North. Three days is my limit with my parents--after that we start to get on each other's nerves. The funeral was wonderful and heartbreaking. So many sweet, personal touches. It was a heartfelt and loving tribute to my friend's Dad.

I have a new job. I have recently been appointed Superintendant of my church's Sunday school. Talk about jumping into the deep end blindfolded with both hands tied behind your back! I have never even taught Sunday school--now I am in charge of the whole shebang. I have my own office and closet full of craft supplies. Thankfully I am starting in the summer when things are a little more relaxed and toned-down. My first class is Sunday. I am scared and excited all at the same time.

Emmett contiues to make progress with his speech and communication. He sometimes shakes his head "yes" now. It doesn't happen very often, but he is three, after all! He is trying harder and harder to converse. He says "mama" from time to time. My heart sings when I hear it.

Father's Day, 2007???

I had better get started now, if I want Richard to have his own hand-knit Ferrari.

He said "No".

Emmett shook his head "no" for the first time yesterday. I have never been so thrilled to have someone say no to me before!!! He went outside and got in the stroller around 5:00 PM. When I asked if he wanted to come inside for supper, he shook his head no and just sat there. I told him we could go for a walk after Daddy got home and we ate, so he patiently sat there. I kept asking if he wanted to come in and eat and he kept shaking his head. He sat there over an hour waiting for hubby to get home to eat and take him out.

Therapy went really well today. Emm tried so hard to blow bubbles and managed to get one aloft. We have to work on blowing feathers, cotton balls and bubbles this week. He finds pursing his lips hard--he tends to close his mouth and exhale through his nose instead of his lips. It is funny because he can suck on a straw just fine, but he can't figure out how to blow.

We have to make a sad trip this week. My dear friend (the one whose wedding party I am in and who I have known since grade 5) lost her dad on Father's Day. We will be going to his funeral at the end of the week. My arms are aching to give her a giant hug right now. Readers, can you all send some positive vibes and prayers to my friend? She and her mom were with him when he took his last breath so he was sent Up with their love and left this world peacefully. He will be sorely missed.

Happy Father's Day

Dear Daddy,
We have so much fun with you. Thanks for playing with us and taking us to the park and getting up in the middle of the night when we are lonely and need some company. You warm up a mean bottle.
Happy Father's Day

Hugs and Love,
Emmett and Charlotte

Emmett has a crush.

Ah, how fast they grow up! Emmett's head was turned by a pretty little girl visiting the neighbours yesterday. An older woman at the ripe age of 4, she had long dark hair and big blue eyes with long lashes. The boy has good taste. He passed every one of his backyard toys over the fence to her, then started to give her the baby apples he could reach on the trees and then handed over a box of his best lego. I couldn't get him to go inside. He even waved at her with both hands when she had to go inside. This boy doesn't wave at anyone. The speech therapist was even impressed. Richard needs to have a chat with Emmett about how you shouldn't give up you best stuff right away--it is not good to set the bar too high at first with women. Poor guy. He was so lovestruck!

I had sushi for lunch and Emmett swiped one of my cucumber rolls that had wasabi on it. He had one lick and it soon became apparent he isn't ready for sushi just yet--thankfully wasabi doesn't burn for long!!

You have to be *this* tall to go on the ride.

Today Emmett turned three. We started out the day with a parade, ate day-glo orange Dora cake and then went to the fair. Poor Emmett wanted to go on rides but he was just a bit short for most of them. We toured three funhouses and before he had a meltdown. Richard remembers when he was too short to go on rides and totally sympathized. The parade was a huge hit--especially the tiny Shriner cars and the clowns that gave out candy. Charlotte loved the day-glo frosting.

Do I need a title?

I finally got to talk to MIL today. I thought I was calm and rational--she critiqued my delivery and accused me of attacking her. Grrrrr. At least she knows how I feel--we'll see if she actually listens now. Don't know what I am talking about? Scroll down to "The Honeymoon is Over" I don't feel like typing the story all over again. Time to get on with life.

I broke through my two weeks of gaining with a nice three-pound loss last week. I am now down in the lowest WW points bracket and learning all over again how to eat. Who knew two points could be so important?? I am sticking with it. I have lost 12 pounds so far, so I must be doing something right.

It is Emm's third birthday tomorrow. How time flies. He is so tall and grown-up looking now. I still remember the pudgy little butterball that would greet me every morning with a smile. He now comes down the stairs and helps himself to breakfast. We will take him to the summer fair and eat ice cream cake to celebrate. (must call Dairy Queen and see if they have Dora cakes.....) I will resist the call of the mini doughnut. Really I will!! His cough is almost gone and he has his spunk back, so I know we will have fun on his big day. How many kids get a fair on their birthday???

It is too quiet here.

There is a little boy passed out asleep on the diningroom rug. He is fighting a cold so bad I had to get him a prescription for codiene cough medicine this weekend. I thought he had allergies so we got some allergy meds as well. One dose of the cough medicine was enough to calm down the cough so he could sleep. That is all he wants to do now. He even turned up his nose at a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast this morning (that is not his usual breakfast, but when a kid is sick and not eating, you pull out all of the favourites to entice) . He seems to pick up every bug that walks down the street--any one know how to build up a kid's immune system?

This weekend was a bad one to have a sick kid--hubby was busy running a gaming convention so I was on my own the whole weekend with the kiddies. It is really hard to tend to a sickie when you also have an energetic baby who wants nothing more than to use the boy on the floor for a speed bump. I spent all of Sunday moving the speed bump to higher ground. He repeatedly made his way back to the floor. What is the attraction? The carpet is scratchy and there is no underpad. We even moved him to our bed this morning for cartoons and dozing. After his favourite show was over (Poko) he came back downstairs to the floor.

Last night I was still trying to delude myself that his cough was allergies and his lethargy was from the super-strong cough medicine so we went to a bar-be-que. I feel like Typhoid Mary today. I hope no one hates me toooo much. I really wanted to get out and talk to grownups!

Emm's birthday is coming up this weekend and we are heading into The City for a wedding. We also found out there is going to be a giant children's festival going on. Something to make us feel less guilty about leaving town instead of having a birthday party!!

It is too quiet here.

There is a little boy passed out asleep on the diningroom rug. He is fighting a cold so bad I had to get him a prescription for codiene cough medicine this weekend. I thought he had allergies so we got some allergy meds as well. One dose of the cough medicine was enough to calm down the cough so he could sleep. That is all he wants to do now. He even turned up his nose at a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast this morning (that is not his usual breakfast, but when a kid is sick and not eating, you pull out all of the favourites to entice) . He seems to pick up every bug that walks down the street--any one know how to build up a kid's immune system?

This weekend was a bad one to have a sick kid--hubby was busy running a gaming convention so I was on my own the whole weekend with the kiddies. It is really hard to tend to a sickie when you also have an energetic baby who wants nothing more than to use the boy on the floor for a speed bump. I spent all of Sunday moving the speed bump to higher ground. He repeatedly made his way back to the floor. What is the attraction? The carpet is scratchy and there is no underpad. We even moved him to our bed this morning for cartoons and dozing. After his favourite show was over (Poko) he came back downstairs to the floor.

Last night I was still trying to delude myself that his cough was allergies and his lethargy was from the super-strong cough medicine so we went to a bar-be-que. I feel like Typhoid Mary today. I hope no one hates me toooo much. I really wanted to get out and talk to grownups!

Emm's birthday is coming up this weekend and we are heading into The City for a wedding. We also found out there is going to be a giant children's festival going on. Something to make us feel less guilty about leaving town instead of having a birthday party!!

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit.

Who knew a box of beans could be the secret key to toddler and pre-schooler happiness? I wish I had known sooner. Yesterday while trying to buy some time to make dinner I poured all of the dried beans in my pantry into a plastic bin, threw in some funnels and measuring cups and set them in front of Emmett. I did not hear a peep from him until it was time to eat. I have heard from reliable sources (hi Poppins!) that driving toy cars through beans can be super fun as well. Cheap and fun--sounds like a great date!